Swingletree connection.



No. 796,454. PATBINTED AUG. 8., 1905.

c. A. ROSS.

SWINGLETREE CONNECTION APPLICATION FILED NOV.1'7,1904.

CALVIN A. ROSS, OF THREECREEK, IDAHO.

SWINGLETREE CONNECTION.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 8, 1905.

Application filed November 1'7, 1904. Serial No. 233,184.

To all u com it may concern:

Be it known that I, CALVIN A. Boss, a citizen of the United States, residing at Threecreek, in the county of Owyhee and State of Idaho, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in swingletree Connections, of which the following is a specification.

The primary object of this invention is to prevent the accustomed loose connection between the swingletree and the doubletree or cross-bar of thills, thereby obviating the resultant objectionable features incident to the swinging and swaying of the swingletree when relieved from pulling strain, as when the animal or team is standing or descending a grade.

The invention interposes between the swingletree and its support a friction device which will hold the swingletree stationary under normal conditions when not under strain, the connection being such as to admit of relative movement or play between the swingletree and the doubletree or other support to compensate for change in the direction of draft when the swingletree is under draft tension.

For a full description of the invention and the merits thereof and also to acquire a knowledge of the details of construction of the means for effecting the result reference is to be had to the following description and drawings hereto attached.

While the essentialand characteristic features of the invention are susceptible of modification, still the preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a top plan view of a doubletree and attached swingletrees embodying the invention, the swingletrees occupying the position which they will assume when not under draft tension. Fig. 2 is a View similar to Fig. 1, showing the position of the swingletrees and adjunctive parts when under pulling or draft tension. Fig. 3 is'a detail view of a swingletree and its support, on a larger scale, parts being in section.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the followingdescription and indicated in all the views of the drawings by the same reference characters.

The swingletrees 1 may be of any design such as commonly employed in harness. The doubletree 2 is of ordinary construction and has the swingletrees connected to its end portions. Inasmuch as the connecting means between the swingletrees and the doubletree or support 2 are the same, a detailed description of one will suffice.

The draft connection between the swingletree and its support comprises stem 3, clip 4:, and the intermediate cone 5. The clip 4 is secured to the swingletree in any approved manner, and the-stem 3 terminates in the head 6, which is concave on its inner side to correspond with a convex projection 7 at the rear side of the doubletree or support 2. The conical portion 5 of the draft connection constitutes a brake member and is adapted to enter an opening of corresponding shape in the doubletree or support 2, so as to hold the swingletree from swinging when drawn rearward'by the spring 8. The conical or flared opening of the support 2 is reinforced by the sleeve or bushing 9, snugly fitted therein and having a flange 10 at its larger end to overlap the front side of the doubletree and apertured to receive the fastening-bolts 11 and 12. When the swingletree is drawn upon as in the application of the draft, the conical brake member 5 is moved forward a distance to admit of the stem 3 entering the conical bushing or sleeve 9 and to have a play therein to admit of the connection readily adapting itself to the line or direction of strain. The instant the swingletree is relieved from draft or the pulling strain it is drawn backward by the spring 8, and the conical brake member 5 engages frictionally with the sleeve or bushing 9 and prevents a too free movment of the swingletree, while at the same time admitting of its turning upon the application of unusual strain upon either end thereof.

A plate 13 is fitted to the rear side of the doubletree 2,and its end portions are apertured to receive the bolts or fastenings 11 and 12, by means of which the parts 9 and 13 are securely held in place. The central portion of the plate 13 is provided with the rearward convexed portion 7 upon which the front end of the coil-spring 8 obtains a bearing, and is adapted to move when the draft connection shifts to conform to the relative change in posit-ion of the parts 1 and 2. The coil-spring 8 is of the expansible type and is confined between the parts 6 and 7 and is of sufficient strength to cause rearward movement of the swingletree when relieved from the pulling force and to cause the brake member 5 to engage the part9 with sufiicient friction to prevent easy movement of the swingletree. One of the bolts or fastenings, as 11, is provided at its rear end with an eye 14 for connection therewith of the usual stay-chains to limit the movement of the doubletree.

Having thus described the invention, What is claimed as new is 1. In combination, a support having a forwardly-flared opening, a swingletree, a draft connection comprising a brake member and a stem, the brake member adapted to enter the flared opening of the support, and a spring for holding the brake member in frictional engagement with Y the walls of the said flared opening when the swingletree is relieved from pulling strain, substantially as set forth.

2. In combination, a support, aswingletree, a draft connection comprising a conical brake member and a rear stem, a conical bushing fitted into a corresponding opening of the support and adapted to cooperate with the brake member of the draft connection, a spring mounted upon the stem of the draft connection and exerting a rearward pressure upon the draft connection, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

CALVIN A. ROSS.

Witnesses:

LEE R. EsTus, MARCUS Es'rms. 

